key: cord-0074036-3l2so1g8
authors: Granados-Chahín, Sergio
title: Review of the Book Community Prevention of Child Labor. Evidence-based Practices to Promote the Psychological Well-being of Minors. Maya Jariego, I. (2021). Human Well-Being Research and Policy Making Series, Richard J. Estes and M. Joseph Sirgy, Editors. Springer Nature Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-030-70810-8
date: 2022-01-27
journal: Appl Res Qual Life
DOI: 10.1007/s11482-022-10038-y
sha: 018468e85aa404430703698a16f6de360644df3c
doc_id: 74036
cord_uid: 3l2so1g8

nan

Child labour increased in 2020 for the first time in 20 years. This shows that despite the existence of effective prevention strategies, the risk in low-income families continues to exist and may emerge in circumstances of economic crisis or as an indirect consequence of the pandemic. The monitoring centre UNICEF Data highlights, among them, that child labour has reached 160 million around the world, which translates as 1 in 10 children worldwide (UNICEF/ILO, 2021) . To this it is important to add the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic that have aggravated the situation and the proliferation of variables that increase the likelihood of children entering forced labour.

The present and future scenario in relation to this problem still poses the challenge of taking complex and comprehensive measures to achieve lasting solutions. This is somehow addressed by the international system of the United Nations under the 2030 agenda in its sustainable development goal number 8, in target 8.7 which states "Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms" (United Nations, 2021) . This demand from the international system is a significant opportunity to exert pressure at regional and local levels to implement actions that guarantee positive results. However, effective practices or interventions in reducing or addressing forced child labour are a poorly documented asset, especially in practical terms to be used as a working tool by practitioners in the field. Maya-Jariego's book "Community Prevention of Child Labor.

Evidence-based Practices to Promote the Psychological Well-being of Minors" is a valuable resource that can address this weakness.

From the experience accumulated from the international research of the Laboratory of Personal Networks & Communities, Maya-Jariego (2021) offers a practical line of discussion on the relevance of the different socio-ecological levels in the prevention of forced labour. Firstly, the book addresses the need to conceptualise forced labour, emphasising the relevance of this action by, for example, encountering the different socio-cultural perspectives of the phenomenon. This underlines the first point most relevant to the effective prevention of forced labour: the contextualisation of interventions. Hence, one of the most academically relevant points of this book is the discussion and presentation of the diverse perception of labour across the case studies analysed. For example, in discussing the child's family significance of participating in work (Bessell, 2009) , their willingness to take part (Maya Jariego, 2017) or the sense of independence gained from their work (Invernizzi, 2003) . All of this diverse cultural evidence from the research experience allows the reader to have a critical reading against theory and policy on the prevention of forced labour with a more grounded perspective. This is also a relevant aspect when considering and contrasting strategies that fail to assess the grey areas of the complexity of forced labour in children, possibly due to professional and technical neglect of the socio-cultural and economic realities of each population (Hasan, 2007) .

Moving through a discussion of the conceptualization of forced labour and its cultural relevance, the book successfully developed an analysis of effective community-based practices. This discussion provides an appreciation of the importance of holistic approaches that aim to maximize success factors. Far from presenting a discussion focused or limited to a bipolar determinism about the abolition or continuation of forced labour, the practices presented illustrate actions that could be used to address the real causes of forced labour. This is clearly conveyed by proposing a socio-ecological system of intervention that satisfies 1) community readiness (e.g., awareness raising and involvement of local coalitions to reinforce institutionalization of consensus), 2) strengthening of appropriate parenting behaviours, and 3) actions targeting structural barriers that may prevent children in forced labour situations from accessing microsystem support resources, such as compulsory education. These three actions for the prevention of forced labour will naturally require a certain degree of capacity in their implementation. Strengthening implementation should be, the author suggests, seen through leveraging and strengthening the linkages between the socio-ecological levels. For example, by achieving levels of integration in the network of services to create a participatory environment at the community level that promotes learning and consistent problem intervention. This can be understood as a systematic strategy that fosters social cohesion and thus collective action at the local level. Two essential elements for the implementation and monitoring of actions (Sampson et al., 1997) .

Finally, the meticulous review and in-depth discussion of practices in the fight against forced child labour allows the author to summarize the content in interesting recommendations. These recommendations clearly establish the significant value of inter-organizational coordination, the flexibility of educational institutions to meet the needs of this at-risk population, or empowered participation by social collectives to give children a voice in decision making for successful prevention of the problem. Among other resources, this academic work offers a well-founded, cutting-edge discussion that not only synthesizes and systematizes evidence-based knowledge for practical use, but also opens an alternative door to approach the problem. A door that encourages work that responsibly addresses socio-cultural variations and local resources as a primary source of promoting good practices and highlights the need for organizational capacities beyond goodwill as effective actions to eliminate forced child labour.

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